Flying machine



Jan, 13g i925. 1,522,71l

Filed April 12, 1924 4 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR Jan, 13, 1925.

W, BROWN FLYING MACHINE Filed April 12, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 @www A INVENTOR' BY ,c S ATTORNEY F.3d? i925.

W. BROWN FLYING MACHINE 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet Filed April 12 mag QQ @MMP INVENTOR4 U5 Miam @www ATTORNEY Jan. '113,119215.r 1,522,711

W. BROWN FLYING MACHINE Filed April 12I 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR f c ATroRNEY Y machine of and State of New Patented Jan. 13, 1925.

WILLIAM BROWN, or NEW- Yonx, 1v. Y.

FLYING- MACHINE.

appueation'mea April 12,1924. serial No. 706,195.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM BROWN, citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New York York, have invented cer;- tain new and useful Improvements in Flying Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to' flying machines, having more particular reference to a flying the helicopter class, in which 'a rotary element of the turbine type exerts both a downward suction of air to cause the machine to rise, and a directlifting action on suitably placed members, the invention having for a general object the provision of a novel flying machine of this type. The present invention is a further development of a previous one disclosed in a prior application for patent filed Oct. 6,1923, under Ser. No.`666, 888.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following ings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

Fig'. 1 of the drawings is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of my improved flying machine, this view being taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2.V Y

Fig. .2 is' a transverse vertical sectional view thereof, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 the rotary element being shown in a different position than in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail horizontal sectional View of the automatic valve control element.

Fig. 4' is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken at the point indicated by6 line 4 4 on Fig. 1 and showing the control elements for the annular explosion chambers.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail view showing the ineans for operating the exhaust valves of the explosion chambers.

Fig. 6 is a. side viewof the complete inachine.

Fig. 7 is a plan view showing the control means for .the propulsion' and steering device. Fig. S is a detail vertical sectional view 4of one of the valve control devices.

Fig. 9 is a plan'view thereof. Fig. 10 is a plan view of the whole machine.

. As here embodiedl my improved flying sengers.

description and accompanying drawmachine comprises a large disklike member l10 which is of hollow construction and horizontally disposed. Fixed at opposite ends to this member are the front and rear cabins 11 and 12, the. former of which is the pilots cabin while the other may be used for any desired purpose. Extending between these cabins, above the disk member 10, are two wall elements 13 which eonclose two longitudinally separated spaces for the pas- The machine is mounted on suitable wheels 14.

' Extending between the two'walls 13 are the partitions'13 which separate the front and rear passenger spaces and form the end walls of a well 16 through which air is drawn downward to sustain the machine by the. Ydownward suction. Located in this well 16 is a valve which controls the passage of air therethrough. This valve comprises a pair' of aprons y18 each made up of a number of rigid strips fixed on a flexible backing element. Connected to opposite ends of these aprons are the opposite ends of the cords 19I whereby the aprons are moved toward or away from one another v' to vary the extent or area of the opening through which the air is drawn. These aprons are guided in the guide members 20 which are'projected laterally beyond the walls 13 and extending partly along the bottom` of the well, the cords 19 passing around suitable pulleys 19. These cords pass Vbetween their ends around a large drum 21 mounted in the well 16 and to which 'is looped also over a pulleynut 27 through which is threaded a screw 27 connected to'an arm28 on a flap valve 28 in an exhaust conduit 29 leading rearwardly from the member 10. This exhaust conduit may terminateV at its rear end in an enlarged chamber 29 from which a vnumber of exhaustl bell-like exhaust members 29 lead. The discharge of the exhaust on these members acts to propel the machine.

Carried VVwithin the member 10 are a pair of rotary elements located one above the other whose rotation induces suction 23 is a second cord 26,-

through the well 16; The lower element comprises a pair of annular explosion chambers 30 which are fixed to the outer elfds of a number of air compressors 31 having a general-spoke-llke arrangement wlth respect to the said chambers rand rigidlyunited by a common frame element 31. Extending outwardly from these explosion chambers are pipes or conduits 32 which have their outer ends in the form ofv nozzles 32 through which gases under pressure are de? livered at an 'oblique angle on vanes 33 carried by the upper rotary member as will be presently set forth. The conduits curving rearwardly and outwardly from theV cha-m.-

bers .30. -Air under pressure, and gasoline,

are introduced into the explosion chambers, which latter are here shown as of circular cross section, and the mixture is then ignited as usual by an electric spark, water in small quantities being introduced into the explosion chambers after the explosion has taken place, the water increasing the eii ciency of the gases by the generation of .through branched pipes -46 in vwhich are suitable checkvalves 47 and is discharged therefrom through the pipes 48 to whichl lead branches 48 havingl checkvalves 49 therein. From each of these pipes (see Fig. 4) branches 50, in which are checkvalves 51', lead to the respective explosion chambers 30, the air being adapted to be admitted in alternation to each chamber. The admission of air is controlled by a sleeve valve 52 inthe pipe having an opening 53 in the side thereof adapted to alternately .register with the branches 50. `The sleeve valve'is adapted to receive longitudinal reciprocatory motion from a. rod 54 connected thereto at one end and havingl at itsA opposite end a pivoted section 54 provided with a head 55 adapted to be enga ed in spiral grooves 56v in adjacent faces of a pair of fixed disks 57 located concentrically with the chambers 3 0 and fixed to the post 45, the grooves in the two disks being respectively right and left hand. Projecting upward rigidly from the rod section '54 is a finger. 58 which is adapted to engage the annular shoulders 59 to throw.

the said section upward and downward to engage the head with the respective spiral grooves 56. The grooves inthe two disks may vary in depth from Athe en'd to end thereof so as to cause the heads 55, as they travel along the groove in one disk, to be gradually moved toward the other disk to facilitate transfer of the head from one groove to the other. The rod section 54 may vhave suiicient frictional engagement with the mainrod length to beheld in the operative position to which it is adjusted. As the rotary p element moves, the sleeve valves 52 will be caused to reciprocate. To start the machine, a' number of compressed air tanks 60 are provided from which suitably branched pipes 60 lead to the respective explosion chambers, These pipes 60' have valves 61 thereon whose handles 6l are operated in a manner to be presently set forth. .Pipes 60av may lead fro'm the" air compressors to the tanks 60.

The pipes 32 are suitably-branched` as at' 32 toconnect to the explosion chambers 30 and on these branches are rotaryvalves 62 whose spindles 63 (see Fig. 5) hav fixed thereon the gears 63 engaged with the rack element 65 formed 'on one arm 'of a U-ba-r 66 fixed to the sleeve 52. The exploding of the charges in the chambers`30 is done by approaching the contact elements 67 carried by the rods 54 with other` fixed contact elements y68 which are wired to sparkl plugs of ordinary construction in 1 the respective chambers. The lower rotating element carries a. number of outwardlyand rearwardly projecting arms 69 which extend subst-an- -tially onelhalf the full depth of the chamber in the member 10, their lower edges being closely adjacent the bottom wall of said chamber. As will beunderstood, a vacuum will be vcreated 'behind each arm as `it revolves, and

the air is drawn downward through the well 16, and passes out through openings inthe periphery of the member 10. As* here shown the top and bottom walls of said member 10 are connected by the posts 70, the lspaces between these posts providing the said air discharge openings. Projecting outwardly and downwardly from the top edges of these openings at the sides of the machine are the baiile plates 71, while the openings under these baiiie.-n plates are adapted to be Vcontrolled by the hinged shutters 72 which have .the arms 73 fixed-to their hinge pintles, these arms having connected thereto the cords 74 which pass over suitable guide pulleys and are looped around a small drinn. 7 5 fixed coaxially to the drums 21 and 21'. By ad justing these shutters the machine may be caused to climb, hover, or descend as maybe desired. y l

The upper rotary element lcomprises -a series of arms 76 radiating from a hub 76.V

freely surrounding the post 45,. said arms 'being of a depth to substantially close the space between the lower rotary element and the top of the member 10. Fixed to the undersides of these arms 76 are the depend- 'magari j lower ends ofAv which annular member 78 formed with the ing members 77 to the is xed the channeled whose inner face is vanes 33.

To steer and propel my improved dying 'p nection with the rodsv so as to permit the latter to move longitudinally independently of 'the cylinders while rotary movement of the rod swings the cylinders. Control of these parts is effected by the steering element illustrated in detail in h Fig. 7 and which is mounted in thevcabin 11;

steering element comprises .an outer hollow shaft and an inner solid shaft 91 suitably' supported in a frame element 92 and having handwheels 90 and 91 on their respective ends. Fixed to the hollow shaft 90 is a mutilated bevel gear 93 which is adapted to be brought selectively into engagement with either one ofl a pair of bevel pinions 94 mounted on transverse shafts 95', these shafts having other bevel pinions such asy 96 thereon which mesh with like pinions such as 97 having a non-rotative but sliding engagement `with the rods 87. Upon the solid shaft 91 are fixed the sprocket wheels 98'over which are looped the chains 99 engaging also over like sprocket wheels such adjusting the pistons as 100`having threaded bores throughv which ,pass the threaded ends of rods 87.

By adjusting the cylinders 82 the area of the openings into the conduits *16T may be' varied independently in each, while by 86 backward or for' wardthe direction of flow of the air in ward through the conduits may be caused to be either backward or forward, causing the machine to be propelled in a forward or backward direction, steering of the ma- Y chine being effected by individually adjustingthe cylinders 82. Y

The gasoline is contained in a Vtank located near the rear of thefmachine and flows by gravity through a suitable pipe, through a passage 111 in the post 45 and into Y a semi-cylindrical chamber 112 vpartially surrounding the post 45 but fixedV to the lower rotary element, the flow of gasoline only taking in the post and the` chamber Wallare in registry. The gasoline is fed from this chamber. to tanks 113 supported by the rotary element by means of a pump 114 which is operated by a crank shaft 115.150- Y tated by means of meshing gears 116 and 117 fixed respectively to the said shaft and 'the post 21. A similar arrangement, comof conduits 16A 'sleeves 52 as above shown in `Letters Patent of the Y outlet openings at place at the time the'portspri'sing a chamber' 118 connected to a supply tank 119, and a pump 119 is provided to -introduce small quantlties of water into the explosion chambers at the time ofthe extanks to the explosion chambers through pipes 120 having valves 121 thereon which are controlled by means operated by the Fig. 4^. These pipes 120 have otheryvalves 122 thereon for hand. control, handles 122.

losion. The gasoline is delivered from the these valves having I Formed on thecylindrical wall of the member 10 is a curved baille member `or flange 125 andv from the space below said 3 flange pipes 126-lead to the centre ofthe machine and conduct the air which is thrown by the arms 6 9 into said space inward to enter the pipes 46. These 4pipes 126 lead upward at their inner ends into a horizontal -partitionmember 127 in which are iap valves 128. i v j',

These valves 128, as well as the@ valves 61 and 122 are operated individually by s' the means shown in Figs. 8 and 9. i number of pairs of curved arms have attached thereto ropes 136 which lead 'to the valve handles. Connected -to these arms are fingers 137 which are attached to opposite reaches of ropes 138 leading around pulleys 5"' which maybe set in position with the l -valves 'either open or closed. 'I arrangement of As will be apparent, the control means for the air above set forth permits the fiill power of the engine to be utilizedfor lifting or for propulsion.

This machine may be provided with a number of parachutes suitably located thereon, and which may be opened in the event of accident.

' Having thus described my invention what l claim as new and desire to protect by United States is as follow 1. In a flying machine. a hollow disk-like member, a pair of rotatable elements therein located one above the other, said member being formed with an intake opening in the top thereof adjacent the centre thereof, and the periphery thereof, vanes carried by said upper rotatable element, and means carriedby said lower rotary element for discharging a fluid upon .u said vanes to cause said rotary elements to rotate and exert a suction downward through said intake opening.

2. In a flying machine, a hollow disk-like member, a pair of rotatable elements therein located one above the other, said member y vanes carried by said upper rotatable element, and means carried by said lower ro tary element for discharging a, fluid upon said vanes to cause said rotary elements to rotateand exert a suction downward through said intake opening, and lifting elements adjacent the sides of the machine against which the air is directed.A

3. In a ying machine, a hollow disk-like member, a pair of rotatable elements therein loca-ted one above the other, said member being formedv with an intake' opening in the top thereof adjacent the centre thereof, and" out-let openings at the periphery thereof,

vanes carried by said upper rotatable element, and means carried by said lower ro-I tary element for discharging a'fluid upon said vanes to cause said rotary elements to rotate and exert a suction downward through said intake opening, and a valve controlling sald mtake opening, said valve comprlsing a pair of plates movable toward and away l from one another.

4. Ina flying machine, a hollow disk-like, member, a pair of rotatable elements therein 'located one above theother, said member being formed with an "intake opening in the top thereof adjacent the centre therecf, and outlet openings at the periphery thereof, vanos carried by 4said upper rotatable element, and means carried by said lower to-A tary element for discharging a fluid upon said vanes to cause said rotary elements to rotate and exert a suction downward through said Iintake opening, and lifting elements adjacent the sides of the machine against whichthe air is directed, each of said rotary elements comprising a number of `arms projecting outwardly and back- Wardly and being of av depth substantially one-half the depth of the said disk-like member.

5. In a flying machine, a hollow disk-like member, a pair :of rotatable elements therein located one above the other, said member vbeing formed with 'an intake'opening in the top thereof adjacent the centre' thereof, and outlet openings-'at the periphery thereof, vanes carried by said upper rotatableelement, and means carried by said lower rotary element for discharging a fluid upon said vanes Ito cause said rotary elements to rotate and exert a suction downward through Said intake opening, and shutters controlling thesa'id peripherhl openings.

6. In a'flying4 machine, a hollow member, a pair of rotatable elements there- -in located one above -the other, said member being formed with an intake opening in the top thereof adjacent the centre thereof, and outlet openingsat the periphery thereof, vanes 'carried by said4 upper rotatable` element, and means carried by said lower rotary .elem-ent for discharging a fluid upon 'said vanes to cause said rotary elements tol 'disk-like.

-vanes carried by said upper rotatable element, and means carried by said lower rotary elementor discharging a fluid upon said-vanes to cause said rotary elements to rotate and exert Ia ysuction downward through said intake opening, and liftingl plates extending downwardly and outwardly from the edges of the said peripheral openings, and shutters for controlling the said openings.

8. In a flying machine, -a rotary element, a hollow disk-like member in which said rotary element is mounted, a second rotatable element mounted in said member above 'and 90 I co-axially with said rotary element, a series of air compressors radiating from the een# tre of Vsaid rotary element and adapted to be operated by rotation thereof, a pair of i annular explosion chambers on said rotary element, vanes carried by said'second rotatable element, Iconduits leading from the Asaid explosion chambers to points adjacent said vanes, and means for delivering the gasv from the respective explosion chambers al- .100

tern'ately to said conduits;

9. In a dying machine, a rotary element, a hollow disk-like member in which said rotary element is mounted, a second rotatable.

element mounted v1n sind member above and 105 co-axi'ally with Lsaid rt-ary element, a series of air compressors 4radiating from the ce'ntre of said rotary element and adapted to be operated by rotation thereof, a pair .of annular explosion chambers on said ro- 11o tary element, vanes'carried by said second rotatable element, conduits leading from the said explosioncham'bers to points adjacent said vanes, and means for-deliveringthe.

gas vfrom the respective explosion. chambers alternately to said conduits, including branchesfrom the respecti chambers to@ veach' conduit, valves onl said branches, gear pinions mounted on-the valve stems,and a rackbar adapted to-operate said pinions.

'10. In a flying machine, arotary element, ea hollow disk-like member in which said rotary element is mounted, a second rotatable velement mounted in said member aboveand co-axially -with said lrotary element, a series of air compressors radiating from the cen- .tre of said rotary element and adapte-d to be operated byrotation thereof, a pair of annular explosion chambers on said rotary element, Yanes carried by said second rotatable element, conduits lea g from the said rotatable element, and meanscarried by said 15 explosion chambers to vpoints adjacent said lower rotary element for discharging a Huid upon said vanes to cause said' rotary ele- -vanes, and means fordehvering the gas from ments to rotate and exert a suction downward through said intake openings, a conthe respective explosion chambers alternately to said conduits and a, rin depending from said second rotatable eement on duit leading rearwardly from said rotary 20 which said vanes are mounted. element, and vanes mounted on the rear end 11. ln a iying machine. a hollow diskof said conduit adapted to have the air jet like member, a pair; of rotatable elements from the conduit mpinge'thereon to propel therein located one above the other, said the machine. member being formed with an intake open- In testimony whereof I have afiixed my 25 ing in the top thereof adjacent the centre signature. l thereof, and outlet openings at the periphery thereof, vanes 'carried byA said upperJ WILLr BnowN. 

